1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fiber crimping apparatus which has a ring roller of a comparatively large diameter and an inscribed roller which contacts an inner surface of the ring roller and which defines at a position of contact of the two rollers a nip zone.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A fiber crimping apparatus designed to form a nip zone by a ring roller and an inscribed roller is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,908,220. In such conventional fiber crimping apparatus, side rings are installed on both sides of a nip zone formed by the ring roller and the inscribed roller and rotate in the same direction at the same velocity as such two rollers. A stuffing box defined by four continuously running or rotating surfaces is formed on a downstream side of the nip zone, relative to the direction of rotation of the rollers and rings. A crimping resisting member is installed at a downstream side of the stuffing box and is mounted to be resiliently movable in the direction of bundles of fibers passing through the stuffing box. Such member thus is operable to maintain a degree of crimping of the bundles of fibers having passed through the nip zone almost uniform.
However, such known apparatus has disadvantages in that it is difficult to adjust the crimping resisting member in accordance with the changes in character, thickness and speed of processing of the fibers to be crimped, and the degree of crimping was liable to become irregular.